Lord Wade of Chorlton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to promote investment in infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Baroness Amos: In response to the Commission for Africa report, the UK played a key role in establishing the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). This major new effort to accelerate progress towards meeting the infrastructure needs of Africa was inaugurated in London on 6 October 2005. The ICA brings together all the main donors financing infrastructure in Africa. It will be results-orientated: prioritising the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) regional infrastructure projects identified in its short term action plan; acting as a broker for the funding of projects; and identifying and taking action to remove bottlenecks to progress.
	The UK has committed $20 million over three years to help with the initial work of the ICA. We have also seconded an individual to the secretariat which has been set up in the African Development Bank.
	Many commentators suggest that the problem is not just a shortage of funds—but a lack of good projects to fund. The ICA has an important role in helping prepare good projects and demonstrating that sound, sustainable infrastructure projects will secure funding. Improving donor and private sector confidence in the sector to deliver good infrastructure is likely to have a significant positive impact on future funding. Progress on financing has already been made. Key donors have announced new resources or signalled their intention to increase resources, amounting to around an additional $2 billion annually.

Baroness Andrews: The last efficiency review of the Audit Commission was the quinquennial financial management and policy review, which was undertaken between 1998 and 2000.
	The report of that review was published in June 2000 and contained 20 recommendations for improvement. The Government's response was published in November 2000 and both reports were placed in the House Library on 11 December 2000.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There are no special publicity arrangements for the work of the cross-departmental Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG) because meetings are attended by external stakeholders, who include:
	BALPA—British Air Line Pilots Association
	BAR UK—Board of Airline Representatives UK
	BATA—British Air Transport Association
	AUC—Air Transport Users Council
	TGWU—Transport and General Workers Union
	BA—British Airways
	UKFSC—UK Flight Safety Committee
	The Head of the Aviation Health Unit (AHU) attends AHWG meetings and uses them to report to these stakeholders. Copies of the notes of meetings will be placed on the Department's website.
	The AHWG agreed the following terms of reference:
	The Aviation Health Working Group will meet on a regular basis and will work in partnership with other interested parties to give effect to the government response to the House of Lords inquiry into Air Travel and Health. Particular responsibilities identified in the response are to:
	provide a forum for interested government departments and agencies to consider issues relevant to aviation health;
	provide an interface with the air transport industry, health experts and other interested parties on aviation health issues of mutual interest;
	evaluate the need for research into issues related to air travel and health, and consider the role of government in supporting such research;
	ensure Ministers are kept informed and receive comprehensive advice on aviation health matters; and
	monitor developments that impinge on the health of those travelling by air.
	The initial focus of the work of the AHWG was to produce government-approved advice on the risks of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for air travellers. To this end the Government provided funding with the European Commission to conduct research to assess whether there is a direct link between air travel and the incidence of DVT. The summary results of this research, which was carried out by a consortium of medical research scientists under the auspices of the World Health Organisation, was published on the department's website on 21 December last year. The publication can be viewed at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft–mobility/documents/page/dft–mobility–610897.hcsp.
	The AHWG has asked the independent Committee on Toxicity to review the evidence relating to cabin air contamination during fume events. This will help to identify the way forward on research and/or monitoring in this area.
	The group has also given consideration to other aviation health matters such as research into the use of aspirin for the prevention of DVT; medical equipment on board aircraft; and provision of supplementary oxygen to passengers.
	On the issue of recommendations, the terms of reference of the group specify the provision of advice to government. The group was not set up to make recommendations independent of government.

Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total amount of costs paid to the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside Limited, in respect of (a) the British Coal Respiratory Disease litigation; (b) the British Coal Vibration White Finger litigation; (c) the Coal Miners Knee Injury litigation; and (d) the British Coal Industrial Deafness litigation; and what provision is made for VAT upon such payments.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The costs paid to Vendside Limited for each of the above claim types are as follows:
	(a) £21.6 million;
	(b) £6 million;
	(c) none, no such claims have been settled; and
	(d) £6 million.
	All payments are made to Vendside Limited whether the claim was submitted by it or by the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. All figures are inclusive of VAT at standard rate.

Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will take steps to raise the awareness of retired miners, their widows and families who pursued claims under the British Coal Respiratory Disease litigation and the British Coal White Finger litigation of their right to seek redress and repayment against those solicitors who charged them success fees, administration fees, or otherwise facilitated the deduction of fees from their compensation to pay to their parties.

Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which 15 solicitors have handled most claims with regard to the British Coal Respiratory Disease litigation; and what is the total amount of costs paid to each firm since the Claims Handling Agreement came into operation.

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Jim Knight, on 13 March (HC Deb, 1857W), whether the 10 per cent. unit cost saving in the administration of the common agricultural policy payments have caused any part of the delays in paying the single farm payment in February or March 2006.

Lord Bach: The 10 per cent. unit cost saving was achieved by the Rural Payments Agency before 31 March 2005 as a result of increasing the efficiency of administering the schemes that preceded the single payment scheme (SPS). The new scheme has been fully resourced and sufficient funding has been provided to cover any transition costs associated with moving to the new processes.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The department was formed in May 2002. Details of spend on external consultants and advisers by the department are shown below:
	2002–03: £227.5 million;
	2003–04: £239.5 million;
	2004–05: £193.3 million.
	These figures include all external consultants and technical advisers, not just management consultancy. Separate figures for management consultancy are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Consultants and technical advisers provide specialist advice, knowledge and action essential to maintain our infrastructure and deliver transport improvements. They are engaged only where the department does not normally retain full-time in-house expertise.
	The Highways Agency contracts out 95 per cent. of its total spend. This is for the maintenance of our national road network, to ensure we have properly maintained, safe and serviceable roads.

Baroness Northover: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much the printing of copies of the Department for International Development's The Rough Guide to a Better World cost; and what royalties were paid to the publishers and owners of the Rough Guide brand.

Baroness Amos: Since November 2004, 5.5 million copies of the Rough Guide to a Better World have been printed, at a cost of £1,193,800.81. The Rough Guide to a Better World is a free publication and therefore Rough Guides Ltd, the publishers and owner of the brand, has not received any royalties from the book.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of discrimination legislation. The Equal Pay Act is a particular element of this review. We expect to publish a Green Paper in the summer which we intend to lead to a Single Equality Bill, in line with the Government's manifesto to bring in such a Bill this Parliament.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Funding for FY 2006–07 for the CRE and DRC is as follows:
	the Home Office intends to allocate a grant-in-aid of £19.1 million to the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).
	the planned allocation of grant-in-aid to the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is £20.902 million; this includes provision for work deriving from the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 including the forthcoming public sector duty to promote equality for disabled people. It will be for the DRC to decide how much it spends promoting disability equality in the public sector.
	Officials are still finalising the allocation for the Equal Opportunities Commission, including funding in respect of its work to promote the forthcoming gender duty. Over recent weeks there have been discussions with the EOC around agreeing their resource budget for the coming year. All DTI budgets are currently being finalised in a very tough public expenditure climate.
	The resource budget allocation for the EOC for 2005–06 is £9.75 million. This is made up of a baseline funding of £8.005 million plus one-off additional DTI funding of £1.7 million, giving a total of £9.75 million. This included £500,000 that was ring fenced for gender duty work.
	The Commission for Equality and Human Rights will come into being in October 2007. The Commission will build on the work of the current DRC and the EOC, together with the areas of sexual orientation, age, and religion or belief that are not covered by the existing Commissions. The CEHR will take on the responsibilities of the CRE in relation to race relations by the end of March 2009, putting expertise on equality, diversity and human rights all in one place. The annual budget will be £70 million which represents a 43 per cent. increase on the budget of the existing three commissions.

Lord Bach: Most wild-caught fish imported into the UK as pets are tropical species. No specific assessment has been made of mortalities on arrival or of mortalities between arrival and point of sale. However, all commercial consignments of live fish imported directly to the UK from third countries must be routed through a border inspection post and all consignments are subject to a programme of targeted inspection. Evidence from this inspection programme suggests that mortalities account for approximately 1 per cent. of consignments of live fish.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the implications for the consumer and for trade and employment in the United Kingdom of the 20 per cent. duty imposed by the European Union on footwear from China and Vietnam.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: When the provisional anti-dumping duty is fully imposed in September this year at a rate of 19.4 per cent. for China and 16.8 per cent. for Vietnam, the European Commission estimates that it will add approximately €1.50 (about £1) per pair to the import price of certain footwear with uppers of leather, based on an average import price of €8.50 per pair. Special technology athletic footwear (STAF), children's footwear and footwear with a protective toecap have been excluded from the duty. Sports footwear and indoor footwear will continue to remain free from anti-dumping duty, as they were not subject to the anti-dumping investigation.
	The precise impact on trade, employment and consumers will depend on the extent to which supply and distribution chains are able to or choose to absorb the duty and this is not yet clear.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: This figure is not available from official statistics but the latest figures from the British Footwear Association show that in 2005 UK-produced footwear took 1.5 per cent. of the UK market by volume, 5 per cent. by value. The difference in the two figures is because UK production is concentrated on higher value products.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many member states of the European Union voted to impose a 20 per cent. tariff on footwear from China and Vietnam; how many voted against the tariff; how many abstained; and how the United Kingdom voted.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Member states were consulted in the European Commission's advisory Anti-Dumping and Anti-Subsidy Committee on a proposal to impose a provisional anti-dumping duty at a rate of 19.4 per cent. for China and 16.8 per cent. for Vietnam on certain footwear with uppers of leather. The proposal is for the duty to be phased-in over a five month period starting at a rate of 4.8 per cent. for China and 4.2 per cent. for Vietnam on 7 April.
	Three member states supported the Commission's proposal, 10 member states opposed and 12 including the UK abstained.

Lord Morris of Aberavon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are content with the administration of the Skipton Fund for ex gratia payments for hepatitis C infection by contaminated National Health Service blood and blood products; and what ministerial surveillance there has been of its administration.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The OFT does not have figures that differentiate costs between cases pre-dating the launch of its dedicated time recording systems on 1 April 2004. However, I understand from the OFT that the cost of the independent schools investigation since 1 April 2004 is £325,000. This represents the direct costs recorded by staff in the OFT's competition enforcement division and do not include time spent by specialists in the OFT's legal division or the OFT's economic advice team in its markets and policy initiatives division.
	The investigation commenced in June 2003.

Lord Adonis: We do not believe any school should be deterred from providing a comprehensive programme of sex and relationship education tailored to the age and maturity of pupils. Guidance on sex and relationship education was issued to schools in July 2000. This sets out the statutory requirements on schools in relation to sex education, including the requirements to teach pupils aged 14 to 16 about contraception. Schools must set out their approach to sex and relationship education within a policy available for inspection by parents.
	Schools following this guidance are acting within the law and should seek support from their local authority advisory service, and police where necessary, if subject to any intimidating activity from campaign groups.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The pilots demonstrated that direct action with procurers and small businesses can result in increased levels of small businesses tendering for government business. During the pilot project in the West Midlands (June 2003 to June 2004) over 500 small businesses and 17 partner organizations from central and local government participated. At the start of the pilot, 14 per cent. of the small businesses had successfully tendered for government contracts. Of contracts awarded through the pilot's opportunities portal at 30 June 2004, 26 per cent. were won by small businesses helped in the pilot, and 26 per cent. of businesses involved in the Haringey pilot increased their turnover.
	The following lessons were learnt:
	1. That small businesses liked and used the central portal on which public sector procurers advertised opportunities. Subsequently the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has supported the Small Business Service (SBS) to develop a web-based national opportunities portal on which public sector procurers can advertise contract opportunities easily accessible to small businesses (mainly those of a financial value beneath EU thresholds). The portal is due to go live in spring 2006 1 .
	2. That it will help if government develop supply chain guidance that raises awareness of the potential of small businesses among key suppliers to government. The Haringey pilot found that prime contractors in some sectors were more open to developing supply chain activities than in others, and recommended engagement with key prime contractors at a national level. As a result of the pilots, OGC has developed guidance on supply chain management and is working with both key suppliers and procurers to ensure that opportunities for small businesses in their supply chains are visible and accessible.
	3. That training for small businesses on how to tender helps small business to win tenders. The Small Business Service has worked with the nine regional development agencies to train over 3,000 small businesses based on content produced by OGC.
	4. That training for procurers is necessary to complement small business training and to encourage consistency. Over the past 12 months OGC has trained over 800 procurers nationwide focusing on the benefits of appropriate use of small businesses and a diverse supplier base; and how to remove obstacles.
	5. That a standardised pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) is a useful tool to cut down on bureaucracy. OGC has developed a standard, simplified pre-qualification document based on a self-certification model, specifically for use in procurements with a financial value beneath EU thresholds, and is now leading on the nationwide promotion of its use.
	6. That good practice and experience need to be shared. Haringey Council has disseminated its experience from the pilot to other boroughs though the London Regional Centre of Excellence.
	7. That local authority procurement processes should be explained on council websites—the SBS, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association have promoted this through the small business concordat (a voluntary, non-statutory code of practice which sets out what small firms and others supplying local government can expect when tendering for local authority contracts).
	8. That the link between procurement strategy and the local community strategy should be recognised. The OGC has published guidance on the use of social clauses in procurement.
	1 (EC directives apply to public sector procurements above certain monetary thresholds. For central government, these thresholds are approximately £100,000 for goods and services and £4,000,000 for works)

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 8 March (WA 144), how the funding for UK Sport's national anti-doping programme for 2004–05 was broken down; and whether there will be additional costs for complying with the UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport.

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 15 March (WA 243–4), for the latest year for which figures are available, what would be the net cost to the Exchequer of abolishing marginal relief at the small companies rate if the main rate of corporation tax (a) remained at 30 per cent; (b) was reduced to 29 per cent; (c) was reduced to 28 per cent; (d) was reduced to 27 per cent; (e) was reduced to 26 per cent; and (f) was reduced to 25 per cent. for profits over £300,000.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The full-year yield for 2006–07 from abolishing marginal relief for profits over £300,000 would range from around £0.5 billion against a main rate of corporation tax of 30 per cent. to around £0.1 billion against a main rate of 25 per cent. The lower figure of £410 million for cost of relief against the 30 per cent. rate given in the previous reply related to 2003–04, the latest year for which actual figures were available.
	As published in the 2005 Tax Ready Reckoner located at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/FA1/96/pbr05–taxreadyreckoner–223.pdf, the full-year cost for 2006–07 of reducing the main rate of corporation tax from 30 per cent. to 29 per cent. would be around £1.5 billion, ignoring behavioural effects. The full year direct revenue effect of a one percentage point reduction in main rate and abolition of marginal relief for profits over £300,000 would therefore be a net cost in excess of £1 billion.
	It is not appropriate to extrapolate the cost of reducing the main rate to lower values because a change of this magnitude would be likely to have a major impact on company behaviour and therefore major indirect as well direct effects on tax revenues.

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated loss of revenue to HM Exchequer if corporation tax rates were reduced in Northern Ireland from 30 per cent. to 12.5 per cent.

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make an application to the European Commission by 31 March, in accordance with the agreement reached by the European Union Council of Ministers in February to extend Annex K of the Sixth European Union VAT Directive until 2010, in order that the United Kingdom can keep open the option to introduce a reduced rate of VAT in respect of the labour component of repairs to older buildings at any time during the next five years.